Housed in the newly launched Department of Applied Humanities, the program is built on a simple but powerful premise: learning focused on human meaning, value, and purpose prepares students for a rich professional future. Applied Humanities reframes traditional humanities strengths like critical thinking, ethical reflection, cross-cultural dialogue, and communication through the lens of contemporary workforce needs.
“For decades, both humanities scholars and private-sector hiring authorities have reported that the most in-demand workforce skills include clear communication, creative problem-solving, and the capacity to work with diverse teams,” says Sara Hart, chair of the Department of Applied Humanities. “These are precisely the skills the humanities deliver. We help students connect the dots between humanities disciplines like philosophy, literature, and communication, on the one hand, and community-engaged work, professional development, and job-readiness, on the other.”
As Humboldt continues its evolution into a polytechnic university, the program pairs ethical inquiry with service learning, career preparation, and project-based collaboration. It reflects a broader understanding of what a polytechnic education can be: not only technical training, but applied knowledge that integrates human insight with practical action.
Curriculum draws from fields including anthropology, communications, political science, sociology, geography, economics, native American studies, critical race, gender and sexuality studies and environmental studies. Students complete a shared core that emphasizes language proficiency, foundational humanities knowledge, community engagement, and professional portfolio creation before selecting one of three emphasis areas: Technology & Human Values, Health Humanities, or Social Responsibility.
Across all pathways, the emphasis is on transferable skills that employers consistently identify as essential: digital and data literacy, collaboration, creativity, adaptability, leadership, and emotional intelligence. Graduates will be qualified for careers in AI ethics and policy, web strategy, user experience and design, health communications and program coordination, conflict resolution, and community engagement.
A defining feature of the program is its commitment to community-connected learning. Through partnerships with regional nonprofits, public agencies, and local organizations, students engage in collaborative projects designed to meet shared goals. Service learning and practicums are woven directly into the curriculum, ensuring that graduates leave with demonstrated experience and a professional portfolio that reflects real-world impact.
The program also offers a certificate in Digital Humanities which equips students with in-demand skills in data analysis, digital design, and AI, while deepening their expertise in history, literature, philosophy, and the arts. And a new minor in Spanish Healthcare Interpretation combines expertise in Spanish language and multilingual translation and interpretation with a justice-oriented approach to community health. Both curricular pathways that have been designed explicitly to strengthen students' employability.
“As Cal Poly Humboldt advances its polytechnic identity, our new Applied Humanities B.A. affirms that innovation is deeply human as well as technical,” says Jeff Crane, dean of the College of Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences. “By connecting culture, ethics, and communication to this moment’s most pressing challenges, the program prepares graduates to shape our changing world with clarity and confidence.”
Learn more about the Applied Humanities B.A. at or contact the Department of Applied Humanities at humanities@humboldt.edu or (707) 826-5500.